Tensions in Mali: Dozens of Soldiers Arrested Over Alleged Plot Against the Ruling Junta
Mali’s ruling military government has detained dozens of soldiers accused of planning to topple the current leadership, according to security and political sources.
The arrests reportedly began three days ago and were linked to what officials describe as an “attempt to destabilise state institutions.” A security source confirmed that at least 20 individuals were taken into custody, while another military insider placed the figure at around 50. All those detained are members of the armed forces.
Among the most prominent detainees is General Abass Dembele, a former governor of the central Mopti region and a respected figure within Mali’s military. Witnesses say armed soldiers arrived at his residence in Kati, near Bamako, early Sunday morning and took him away without explaining the reason for his detention.
A lawmaker from Mali’s transitional parliament claimed the ultimate goal of the suspects was to remove the junta from power.
A Military Under Pressure
Mali has faced relentless instability since 2012, grappling with armed insurgencies, sectarian tensions, and economic hardship. Attacks by groups linked to Al-Qaeda and Islamic State have ravaged the country, while criminal violence continues to escalate.
After staging back-to-back coups in 2020 and 2021, the junta distanced itself from France, Mali’s former colonial power, and aligned more closely with new partners—most notably Russia. Russian paramilitary fighters from the Wagner Group and its successor, Africa Corps, have been active alongside Mali’s forces in counterinsurgency operations.
Despite this partnership, insecurity persists, and accusations of human rights abuses against civilians have been leveled at both the Malian army and its foreign allies.
Rising Discontent in the Ranks
Observers believe the latest wave of arrests reflects deep divisions within the military itself. Sociologist Oumar Maiga suggests that resentment has been brewing over the preferential treatment allegedly given to Russian mercenaries compared to Malian soldiers.
“These arrests show that the leadership is struggling to maintain control. There’s dissatisfaction in the army, especially over the advantages given to foreign fighters,” Maiga noted.
In July, Mali’s transitional legislature passed a bill granting junta leader General Assimi Goita a renewable five-year presidential term—without the need for elections. This move effectively shelved the military’s earlier promise to hand power back to civilian authorities by March 2024.
With growing unrest inside the armed forces and unrelenting security challenges across the country, Mali’s leadership faces one of its most turbulent moments since seizing power.
